Mail-bag receiver



2 SHEETSSHEET I.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

I). w. MILLSAPS.

MAIL BAG RECEIVER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 26, I920.

n. W. MILLSAPS. MAIL BAG RECEIVER. APPLiCATlON FILED APR.26| 1920. 1,425,406. Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- wvewtoz fizz/vi l i/f /i/lsaps, qwi-Mwooco DANIEL W. MILLSAPS, OF WASHINGTON, DTSTRIC'I OF COLUMBIA, ASSTGNOR TO AUTOMATIC MAIL EXCHANGE (30., OF WASHINGTON, D. 0., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MAIL-BAG RECEIVER.

Beit known that I, DANIEL W'. M nLsArs, a citizen of the United States, residlng at \Vashingto-n, District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Receivers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for receiving mail bags upon the mail car of a train moving at high speed and it is directed to improvements on previous patents, granted to me and particularly on the devices shown in Patent No. 1,03%,639 issued on August 6, 1912.

One object of the present invention is to simplify and improve the construction of the receiving device which is connected with the mail car in such a manner that it may be folded or collapsed when not in use so as to occupy no more space than is necessary.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the manner of mounting the receiving device in such a manner that it will readily swing to the desired position for receiving mail when the train to which the car is attached moves in either direction, or to an inoperative position within the car while not in use.

\Vith these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view through a portion of a car showing the receiving device in plan and in position for operation.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the receiving device collapsed within the car.

Figure 4 is a perspective detail view of one of the pivots whereby the receiving de vice is swingingly supported.

Figure 5 is a sectional detail view illus- Speeification of Letters Patent. Patent d Au 8 1922 its socket when the device is swung into position for operation.

Figure 8 is a plan view showing a portion of the receiving apparatus detached from the car.

Figure 9 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a car showing the delivering device in position for operation and showing also several mail bags supported thereon.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

The mail bag receiving device consists of a frame structure the casing of which is supported pivotally for swinging movement in a door way or opening 60 in the side wall of the car. I corner posts 61 on which a shield or casing plate 62 is securely mounted. Said corner posts are provided at the upper and lower ends thereof with substantially horizontal arms 63, the arms of the two posts converging in the direction of each other, Figure 6, and on these arms casing plates 64 are securely mounted, said plates combining with the plate 62 to form a housing. The upper and lower arms 63 of the two posts 61 are connected by hinges 65 with the limbs 66 of substantially V-shaped brackets 67, one at the top and one at the bottom of the struc ture. These brackets, which are connected with the arms 63 by the hinges 65 in such a manner that they will be free to swing in an upward direction are each provided at the apex thereof with a stud 68. A rod 69 is connected at the ends thereof by pins or pivot members 70 with respective studs 68 so that by utilizing said rod as a handle, the two V- shaped brackets 67 may be moved in an up ward direction to. an out-of-the-way position as best seen in Figure 3. This position, however, is only assumed when the portion of the device including the brackets 67 is positioned within the car. i

The arms 63 of the receiving device are provided adjacent to the upper and lower ends of the posts 61 with pivot members 71 The said device comprises two,

of substantially cylindrical shape, said pivot members being, however, beveled at opposite sides thereof as seen at 72 to produce flattened portions 73 each having a recess 74 in the outer face thereof as best seen in Figure 4; i The sill as well as the cap member of the door opening 60 are provided with sockets 75 formed adjacent to the door posts, one such socket being very clearly shown in Figure 5 where 76 represents a portion of the sill. From the sockets 75 arcuate channels 77, Figure 7, extend to the outer edges of the cap and the sill, respectively, the arc of each channel being concentric with the socket at the opposite end of the cap or the sill as the case may be. Flat springs .78 sea cured inthe bottoms of the respective channels are provided near their inner ends with nipples 79 adapted for engagement with the recesses 74 of the respective pivot members, the springs 78 being slightly bent or tilted so that the tension thereof will be exerted to maintain the nipples 7 9' in engagement with the recesses 74. Nipples 79 are arranged as seen in Figure 5 so that by the exertion of a reasonable amount of pressure in the proper direction, pivot members may be disengaged from the nipples. The flat portions of the pivot members 71, which latter are to be very securely connectedwith the arms 63, areso disposed that when the receiving device is swung or moved from the position without the car, seen in Figure 1. to the position within the cai', seen in Figure 6, the pivot members at that corner of th device which slaves in an inward direction will readily enter the channels 77 for engagement with the nipples 7 9. When the device is snbsequei'itly swung about the axes of these pivot members, theflattened portions thereof willbe moved to a position transversely of the c'hannels 77, thereby retaining the pivot members seciirely in their respective sockets Without danger of being accidentally disengaged.

The posts 80 at the sides of the door way or opening 60 are each provided with a recess 81 and with an opening 82 aifording a bearing for a bolt 83, the latter having at tlieinner end thereof an arm 84 that is capab'le of swinging downwardly within the recess 81, being actuated in'this direction by means of a spring 85. The arm 84 may be moved against the tension of the spring to a position clearly seen at the left side of Figure 1 \vhe're it will lie in. the path ofthe rod 69 when the receiving device is swung or moved into receiving position without the car as seen insaid figtlre. Retracting springs 86 are provided, the tendency of which is to swing the receiving device within the car, the tension of said springs being also exerted to maintain the rods 69 in engagement with the arm 84 of the rocking bolt 83.

the rod 69 on the arm 84, permitting the bolt 83 to be rocked under the influence of the spring 85, thus moving the arm 84 out of the path of the rod 69, subsequently to which the receiving device will be immediately swung within the car under the influence of the retracting springs 86. Buffers 87 are provided to receive the impactof a mail bag or bags which are deflected within the car by the casing plates 62 and 64.

It will be seen that by providing the pivot members 71 at the corners of the receiving device, it will be that the latter may be moved without the car to a receiving position in two directions according to the direction of the movement of the train.

I-Iavin thus described the invention, what I c aim as new is: I

1. The combination of a railway car having an opening in the side thereof and also having a sill below said opening and a cap above the same, saidsill and cap being provided with sockets and with comparatively narrow arcuate channels connecting said sockets with the outer side of the car, said car also having posts at opposite sides of said opening and recesses in the inner corner portions of said posts, arever'sible receiving member provided adjacent to two corners thereof with pivot members for cooperation with said sockets and channels, said pivot members with flattened portions for passage through the channels, springs projecting within the sockets, and having rounded nipples, each pivot member having a recess for engagement with its respective nipple, a rod connected with said receiving member at one corner thereof, bolts jourvnaled in the posts and. havingarins, springs wall thereof and having an upright rod, said rod remote from said pivot connection, a post at one side of said opening and having a recess in its inner corner portion, a bolt journaled in said post and having an arm for cooperation with the said upright rod, a spring cooperating with the bolt to move and yieldingly maintain the arm of the bolt in the recess of the post, and a spring arranged and connected to be tensioned by the action of a bag against the receiving member and to move the receiving member when released through the opening and into the car.

3. The combination of a railway car having an opening in the side thereof, a swinging receiving member mounted in said opening, a spring arranged on the release of said swinging member to move the same inwardly through the said opening, a rod on the swinging member, and means carried by the car and maintained by the tension of said spring in engagement with the rod of the receiving member and movable out of the path of the rod when the tension of the said spring is relieved.

&. The combination with a railway car having an opening in the side thereof, a reversible receiving member provided adjacent to two corners thereof with pivot members, sockets with which said pivot members may be detachably engaged, a rod located at the third corner of the receiving device, bolts supported for rocking movement adjacent to the two sides of the open ing, each of said bolts having an arm adapted to be projected in the path of the rod at the third corner of the receiving member and a retractile spring whereby the receiving member will be swung within the car when the arm of the bolt engaging the rod is moved out of the path thereof.

5. The combination with a railway car having an opening in the side thereof, a

reversible receiving member provided adjacent to two corners thereof with pivot members, sockets with which said pivot members may be detachably engaged, a rod located at the third corner of the receiving member, bolts supported for rocking movement adjacent to the two sides of the opening, each of said bolts having an arm adapted to be projected in the path of the rod at the third corner of the receiving member and a retractile spring whereby the receiving member will be swung within the car when the arm of the bolt engaging the rod is moved out of the path thereof, each bolt having an actuating spring tending to move the arm out of the path of the rod when the receiving member under impact of a mail bag received thereby, is moved slightly outward against the tension of the retractile spring.

6. The combination with a railway car having an opening in the side thereof, a reversible receiving device provided adjacent to two corners thereof with pivot members, sockets with which said pivot members may be detachably engaged, a rod located at the third corner of the receiving device, bolts supported for rocking movement adjacent to the two sides of the opening, each of said bolts having an arm adapted to be projected in the path of the rod at the third corner" of the device and a retracted spring whereby the device will be swung within the car when the arm of the bolt engaging the rod is moved out of the path thereof, each bolt having an actuating spring tending to move the arm out of the path of the rod when the device under impact of a mail bag received thereby is moved slightly outward against the tension of the retracting spring.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DANIEL W. MILLSAPS. 

